Drug-free Sciatica Treatment

Pain medication is frequently prescribed for patients with sciatica, but a new article from the prestigious British Medical Journal reveals that there may be little efficacy in this practice.

In the article, researchers reviewed 23 studies that compared placebo pills to various drugs typically prescribed for sciatica. In study after study, drugs were found to be no more effective than a placebo in relieving pain. Drugs also did not significantly help radiating leg pain, one of the primary symptoms of sciatica. Though two drugs did reduce overall pain, it was unclear how effective they were in the long-term.

This led researchers to conclude that there is no clear evidence demonstrating the efficacy or tolerability of common pain medications prescribed for sciatica.

Chiropractic is a better approach to sciatica than drugs. A 2010 study found that chiropractic does not pose the same risks as surgery yet it is just as effective.